Legend of Beema Pally, One of the Ancient Mosques in India

Kerala, the southernmost state in India is also known as God’s Own Country. Although the beautiful landscape and greenery played an important role in earning this name, various myths and fairy tales existing all over the state too has a role in earning the state such a beautiful nickname. Myths in Kerala is not related to any particular religion or cast. Here is a story about the existence of famous pilgrim destination for the Islam in Kerala, Beema Pally in Thiruvananthapuram.

This Mosque, which is also known as Beema Pally Durga Sherif is located about eight kilometers to the southern side of the heart of the city, near Poonthura. Major attractions here are the tombs of Saidathunisa Beema Beevi and her son Mahin Abubakar. Actually, the legend of this mosque is all about the story of these two great persons who lived their whole life for helping the have-nots.

Saidathunisa Beema Beevi has born in Arabia and she belongs to the Khuraish clan which is the same as that of Prophet Mohammed. She has been brought up in a good manner and when she became a young girl, she became highly religious, generous, and kind. Many people loved to have her as a wife because of the virtues possessed by her. At last, a similarly religious and generous young man named Abdul Gaffar married her. Both of them have ardent love and selfless devotion towards Allah the almighty and gradually they attained the divine power as a result of their continuous prayers. They never used this divine power for amazing wealth, but used to help the hapless. They have healed many diseases with their magical power and accepted nothing in return. Thus both of them became famous throughout Arabia.

Meanwhile, Saidathunisa Beema Beevi gave birth to a son, Mahin Abubakar. He was an intelligent child who learned everything at the first instance itself. He underwent proper education prevailing on those days and started helping his parents in their divine works when he became young. However, their happiness did not last long as Abdul Gaffar died one day. Although very sad, Saidathunisa and her son did not give up their service. They took it more vigorously as a respect towards the departed soul.

During that period, the political scenes of Arabia were undergoing a tremendous change. After the period of Prophet, three Khalifas ruled Arabia. After the time of the third Khalifa, many unscrupulous people started trying to grab power. Civil wars and quarrels became a common thing and the country lost peace. During that period, Saidathunisa had a dream in which an old person appeared and asked her to go to India. He told her that now Arabia does not require her service and there are many hapless people in India, who will find it as a blessing if she extends her helping hand to them. Taking those words are from Allah the almighty, she traveled to India along with her son and reached Kerala.

There they got settled in Thiruvallam in Thiruvananthapuram district and started their service to the poor and the needy. They have healed many diseases with their divine power and the word spread across the princely state of Travancore, of which Thiruvananthapuram was the capital city. They got many followers and disciples in due course of time. The increasing popularity of Saidathunisa Beema Beevi and her son made several officials jealous, but they hesitated to do something harmful to them as the King who was ruling then was very generous to foreign people who took asylum in his country.

Everything was going smoothly and Mahin Abubakar started off to Arabia for Hajj pilgrim. On those days, it was not an easy task and used to take several months to complete Hajj. When Mahin was on his way to Hajj, several government officials approached Saidathunisa Beema Beevi and demanded to pay the tax. On those days all foreign people staying in Travancore had to pay a tax as per the prevailing law. She told the officials that her son is away and requested them to wait till his return. The officials who were jealous of the popularity being enjoyed by the Beevi and her son did not listen to her prayers and started pestering her regularly.

When Mahin came back from the Hajj, he heard the stories of his mother being trouble by the officials and became angry. However, his mother prevented him from having a quarrel with them. After a few days, many officials came to their place along with some military personals and demanded tax. At this time a small quarrel developed between Mahin Abubakar and the officials, which has been developed into a direct fight. Unfortunately, a military official got killed in that and this made the officials angry. They started the fight with Mahin and shortly it turned to a riot at the end of which Mahin got killed. The message of son’s death was quite unbearable for Saidathunisa and she too died as her heart got broken with this news. She too had been buried near her son as per her last wish.

These two tombs are believed to have divine power and even now many devotees across the religion visit these tombs to heal their disease. There is a well near the tomb which is known as “Medicine Well” It is believed that Mahin Abubakar got killed at this place. People believe that any disease can be cured by drinking water from this well.

In the present day, the major festival being celebrated at this The mosque is “Chandana Kudam”. Devotees take seven rounds around the tombs with pots filled with sandal powder on their head on this day.